Carrier



Feb.l 7, 1933. F. B; RUSSELL 1,896,249

CARRIER Filed Dec. 14, 1929 S14-vanto@ Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITEDSTATES lPATE NT OFFICE FREDERICK IB. RUSSELL, F COATESVILLE,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO BETHLECHEM STEEL COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0FPENNSYLVANIA y CARRIER Application led'December 14, 1929. Serial No.414,127. Y.

My invention relates to carriers andparticularly to carriers forportable gas welding'and cutting equipment.

The primary object of this'invention is to provide a carrier for tankswhich is capable ofv assuming Va vertical positionl when the tanksthereon are in use so that the truck will take'up a very small ,amountof iioor space. .VI-A further object yof this invention is to provide` acarrier with auxiliary wheels which are adapted to support part of theload of the carrier when the carrier is being Y moved from place toplace, but which can be folded out of the way when the carrier is atrest in its vertical position. l

A still further object of this invention is to provide the carrier withmeans to which a hoist may easily be attached when it is desired tohoist the carrier and equipment thereon. Y

Y The novel features of my invention` will be more fully understood fromthe following description and claims taken with the accompanying drawingin which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my improved carrier when in position to bewheeled.

Y Fig. 2 is a side view ofv my carrier with tanks clamped thereon.

. Referring to the drawing more in detail, represents a carrierconstructed in accordance with my invention having a pair of main wheels11 and 12 and a pair of auxiliary wheels 13 and 14. The wheels 11 and 12are :mounted in spaced relation on the axle 15.

The lmain frame 16 of the truck comprises a substantially vinvertedU-shaped member having .apertures 17 and 18 in the ends thereof throughwhich the axle is inserted. Ex-

tending angularly from the frame 16 is a member 20 which constitutes aplatform for the carrier to support the load when the truc-k is in itsvertical position. t

This platform 2O preferably comprises a plate having its edges 21 and 22upturned A4The sides`21 and 22 are Preferably Pro' vided at oneendwithlapertures l24 and 25,

`respectivelyfthrough which the axle15l isv inserted for attaching theIplatform thereto An inverted U-shaped tubular member (26 which providesa handle formoving the carrier has the lower ends `of itsflegs` 27 and.'28

attached to the platform 20tat 29ia'nd 30 re.y

spectively.v The member 26 is alsoV attached to the frame 16 at 31 `and32 and retains the platform 20 `in its lproper relationwithrespect tothe frame 16 and also y,provides platform 20 is provided withl asemicircular `strengthening means for the carrier. The f angle member 33which is adapted to provide asupport for the tank 34. vThe cross member37 of the frame16 is provided with a support 35 which is adapted toreceive the upper end of the .tank 34. Thetank 36`pr`eferably restsdirectly on the frame 16 andthe Y platform 20. v (Y Y In certain cases lit is desirable to use ya hoist to lift the equipment vertically todiff- `ferent places and so as to permitieasy handling ofthe carrier bysuchva hoist, I provide a lifting bar member 38 which lhasan eye 39 inits upper-end. fThe member 38 is :preferably upturned at its lower endand is fastened by suitable means to the underside .of the platform 20.The member.V 38 is ,also

fastened at` 40 to the crossmember 37 of the frame 16. `Y 4 t The barmember 38 is alsolprovided with a bolt 41 which is adaptedto receivea'clamp 42 which is provided to secureY thetanks 34' .and 36 in place Athreaded` bar member 43 is provided for theb'olt so as to adjustvtheclampand also toretain it in its properl position. Y .Y t 'l 4 In orderthat the weight of Vthetanksmay be entirely supported bythe carrierpwhenthe carrier'is tiltedvtowardsits horizontal sition to be wheeled from'place4v to place, IV

provide auxiliary wheels13and 14which yare mountedy on anaxle 45.' Theaxle 45 is asbolts or vrivets 48. '-*The ,supportsj46and 10G 47 areVadapted tofoldup `against-the frame position, that is, when it isinitsnormal po-v 16 when the carrier is in its vertical position, sothat the wheels 13 and 14 will be out of the Way when the carrier is inthat position.

By referring to Fig. 2 of the drawing it will be noted that the supports46 and 47 are positioned on the frame 16 sufciently ,near vthe lower endso that the auxiliary Wheels Will always engage the floor a suiiicientdistance in the rear of the engagement of the main wheels with the flooreven when the carrier is in its vertical position, so that should thecarrier be accidentally tipped backward the auxiliary wheels will moveaway from the main wheels until the carrier is in the position indicatedin Fig. 2, whereupon further movement of the auxiliary wheels isprevented due to the chainV 52. Y The supports are preferably braced bythe members 49, 50 and 51. Flexible means, such 'as chains 52, areprovided to limit the distance the` auxiliary wheels may be separatedfrom the main wheels'so that' the upper portion of the carrier may bemaintained in its proper position to be wheeled.

A bracket V53 maybe provided on one of the supports for the reception ofa fire extinguisher 54. A holder 55 is preferably mounted on one of thesupports for receiv- 'ing the torch 56, which is connected to thewelding outfit by the hose 57. The hose 57 is preferably looped aroundthe handle 26 when not in use.Y

It will therefore be understood from the above that I have devised aVnovel carrier which is useful for various purposes and Which isespecially adaptable for welding and cutting equipment.

While I have shown my invention in but one form it will be obvious tothose skilled V in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptibleof various other changes and modlications without departing from thespirit thereof, and I desire therefore that only such limitations shallbe placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art, or as arespecifically set forth in the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as newl and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: A l 1. A carrier comprising a frame,a plat-Aform operatively connected tothelower portion of said frame, apairofmain wheels mounted on an axle connected to the lower portion of theframe, a pair of auxiliary wheels -for said carrier and supports forsaid auxiliary wheels Vpivotallyl mounted on the 'carrier frame at aless distance from the lower end of the carrier than thelength of thesupports so as to automatically move towards the main wheels upon thecarrier assuming a vertical position and away from said main Wheels uponthe tendency of the carrier to assume a'horizontal position, and meanscontinuously effective for arrest-ing the separation of said auxliarywheels a' 'deiinite distance from the main Wheels, whereby the car'-rier is continuously prevented from accidentally assuming a horizontalposition.

2. A carrier comprising a frame of substantially U-shaped formation, aplatform connected to said frame, a wheeled axle connecting the legs ofthe frame and the platform together, brace members connected to theouter end of the platform and the upper ends of the frame, Yasubstantially U-shaped handle member extending beyond the aforementionedframe and integral with said brace members, and wheeled supports`pivotally attachedto the frame.

3. A carrier comprising a frame of substantially U-shaped formation, aplatform connected to 'said frame, a wheeled axle connecting the legsofV the, frame and the platform` together, bracev members connected tothe outer end of the platform and the upper ends of the frame, asubstantially U-shaped handle member extending beyond the aforementionedframe andV integral with said brace members7 wheeled supports pivotallyattached to the frame and exible means attached to the supports and thelower end of the frame for limiting the movement of the supports lwithreference tothe lower endof the frame. Y

4. A carrier comprising a frame of lsubstantially U-shaped formation, aplatform mounted in angular relation with said frame, a wheeled axlepassing through the lowerend of the frame and the platform and providingthe sole connection between the lower end of the frame and the platform,and means for Vconnecting the upper end of the frame and the outerportion of the platform. v

5. A carrier comprising a frame o-f substantially `U-shapedvformation, aplatform mounted in angular lrelation withsaid frame, a wheeled axleproviding the sole connecting means between the lower end of the frameand the platformA and an Vinverted Ulshapedh'andle member attached tothe upper portion of the frame and the outer lportioniof the platform. n*Y 6. A carrier comprising a framemember of substantially U-shaped.formation having aperturestherein adjacent its-open ends, 'an axlepassed through'said' apertures, a platform mounted on said axle inangular relation with the frame, a substantially U-shaped handlemember-having its legs connected at their lower extremitiestothe outerportion of the platform vand having'the intermediate portions of itslegs connectedto the'upper portion of the .frame member, andsupportingmeans for the upper portion of the carrier when it is'in its normallymovable'position. l 7. A carrier for awelding outfit comprising afranieand a platform adapted to support the tanks ofv said outt,a`substantially U-shaped handle member having'its legs ex- -tendingobliquely to said frame and said'platiso form and connected thereto top-rovide strengthening members for said platform, and a lifting barhaving its lower portion connected to the platform and its intermediateportion connected to the upper portion of the aforementioned frame, saidlifting bar having an eye in its upper end.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature. e

FREDERICK B. RUSSELL.

